September 21, 2016

India is on the defensive in its neighborhood

The following article originally appeared in The Washington Post's Global Opinions section on September 21, 2016. An excerpt is included below and the full text can be accessed here.

But as India and the world continue to grapple with
Pakistan’s support for Islamist militant groups, another story is unfolding in
the region: India is rediscovering the rest of its neighborhood. In the past
few weeks, Myanmar’s President Htin Kyaw, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and
Nepali Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal have all visited New Delhi. The prime
ministers of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are also scheduled to arrive soon. This
is part of a conscious bid by India to give priority to its smaller neighbors,
lend support when needed, increase connectivity and gradually build a sense of
regionalism. This policy has come to be known as “Neighborhood First.”

India’s aggressive engagement with its neighbors over the
past two years has been motivated by two interrelated concerns. One is the
rising tide of nationalism, which often manifests itself as anti-Indianism in
many of these countries. In Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, certain political
parties or blocs have tried to exploit anti-Indian sentiments and could, once
again, rise to positions of power. The governments in all three countries are,
at present, relatively well-disposed toward New Delhi, but there is no
certainty that such a situation will last.